Opportunity

OPPORTUNITY!

 

Back in the days when I had the pleasure of teaching philosophy to sophomores in a community college, one of the earliest exercises I tried to have them do was for the purpose of thinking through their own lives and what they were living for.  I quoted Plato’s famous line – “The life which is unexamined is not worth living.”  I asked them, and I ask us, to consider the implications of that statement and whether any of us agree or disagree with it.  To do that we have to take time to really think.  That was the biggest obstacle for any of them (and us) to try to overcome.  There were a lot of creative reasons and excuses for not doing that exercise!  There still are.

First of all, it is hard to think for ourselves.  I think we all know that we are bombarded from all sides with vocal adherents of this or that or the other opinion that seek our support in their endeavors to influence behaviors for their particular biases.  As much as we would like to say that we are independent in our assessments of what is going on in our lives, we need to realize that everything we hear or see or read is an interpretation of whatever the facts may be from a particular point of view.  Much of the time those interpretations are put out there for the purpose of persuasion, not information.  That’s my own point of view of course.

Second, it is difficult to find time or make the time to examine ourselves to determine how much we are being influenced by those who want to think for us and to make the change toward doing our own homework.  It is much easier to purchase ready-made term papers, theses, essays and blogs than to lay them aside to think through the implications of what we discover about ourselves and our sources.

Third, we need to develop the ability to discern what is really going on our lives.  Where do we acquire our values and our standards of evaluation?  Why do we believe those particular sources and not other competing viewpoints?  What is there within us, ourselves, that wants to take this or that or the other view instead of another?

Finally, when we come down to our inner lives, are we really willing to change if we find something within ourselves that needs changing?

As I said, my philosophy classes rather challenged those who were not willing to take the time or exert the effort needed to really learn to think about themselves and their values.  Most of the time, I am pretty sure none of us do.  We like to go with the flow of everyday life and try to make the best of it rather than ordering our inner lives for maximum purpose and fulfillment.

Having said all that, I am convinced that this Covid-19 pandemic, with all the negative effects of the “shelter-in-place” orders and PPE’s for all and sundry and the loss of employment and financial losses may have been an opportunity for us to do some really important self-examination.  If nothing else, it has provided us with time to fill that we have been using to entertain ourselves or improve our physical fitness or do some home projects or work on our primary relationships, at least as much as it may be possible. 

When we do not use the time we are given positively, we are given opportunities to engage in negative activities and emotions.  What are the sources of loneliness, depression, the feeling of mean-inglessness, seeking distractions and self-medicating?  Why do we do what we do?  Is there a better way?

I believe there is.  As we examine ourselves, I believe it is important to realize that there is someone who wants us to live a different style of life, a new life that is not dependent on outer circum-stances to bring us peace and happiness.  His name is Jesus.  He is alive and really well and ready to meet us where we find ourselves during this trying time to enable us to have a better way forward than we have experienced up to this point in our lives.  He actually wants to live within us in the Spirit so that we are no longer alone.  He said he wants to give us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 

Perhaps we could use the opportunity we have to do both self-examination and Jesus-examination.  Yes, read the Bible.  But do so with the desire to meet this One who can really do what He promises.

Perhaps I can paraphrase Plato this way – “The life which is unexamined and which has not dis-covered Jesus as Savior and Lord is not worth living.” 

I have found that He makes the difference in me and for me when I make use of the opportunities He provides for me.  Even the unpleasant ones!

Dr. Darrell